#Rev (GearShark #2) (10 page)

Part of me was relieved, and that made the rest of me feel ashamed.

Ashamed because I didn’t want to feel apprehensive about being open about how I felt about him in front of others.

“Don’t be shy on our account,” Romeo drawled from the couch. Rimmel was right beside him with her one-eyed black cat Murphy on her lap.

Damn. So much for hoping no one but Trent noticed my reaction.

I glanced around for my sister. She was smiling up at me from the floor where she and Nova were sitting on a big, fluffy blanket. The baby had a toy in her mouth and drool all over her hand. She was adorable.

Ivy gave me an encouraging smile. I reached for Trent’s hand, linking them together. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “It’s okay,” he whispered.

“So is this,” I insisted, tightening the hold I had on his fingers and stepping forward, drawing him along with me. Maybe he understood better than I did what just happened. Hell, he seemed to accept it.

I didn’t.

I wasn’t going to do that to him.

To me.

Loving him was nothing to be ashamed of. I wouldn’t put him in a neat little box I only opened when I thought no one was looking. He deserved more.

Braeden got up off the couch where he was lounging and slid into a nearby chair. Everyone already had mugs of coffee in their hands, and I knew Rome wanted to get down to family business, but I needed my damn caffeine.

Coffee was like gas to my car. I simply didn’t start without it.

“I’m gonna grab some coffee,” I told everyone when Trent was on the couch.

In the kitchen, I hurried to grab the brew and a bottle of water. I dumped a few pills into the palm of my hand and abandoned the bottle to the counter.

In the living room, Braeden and Romeo were debating some football play, and I held the pills over the back of the sofa for T to take. Once they were in his mouth, I handed him the water and moved to sit down beside him.

We didn’t touch, but I sat close enough so the sides of our legs were pressed together. He set aside the water, and I sipped at my coffee.

Once I had a little in my system, I handed the mug to him.

He glanced between me and the mug. Then he took it and lifted it to his lips. I knew the second the brew hit his taste buds because his eyes came back to mine.

“This is how I drink it,” he said out of the side of his mouth.

I hid a smile. “I was too lazy to make two.”

I liked sharing my coffee with him. I liked eating off his plate. I liked anything that moved me just one centimeter closer to him.

“You two are like a damn Nicholas Sparks movie,” Braeden announced, and T choked on the coffee he was drinking. “Stop it. We got shit to deal with. People to payback.”

“You watch Nicholas Spark movies?” Romeo asked, blinking at Braeden.

Rimmel giggled.

“Maybe once,” Braeden muttered.

“And you think we’re the gay ones?” Trent goaded him.

I laughed. So did Romeo.

“Oh, for shit’s sake!” he declared. “Ivy was all hormonal. Have you ever told a pregnant woman no?”

Ivy grinned from her seat on the floor, and Nova laughed. Trent’s chuckle was rich and deep. I enjoyed the sound until he sucked in a breath and shifted.

I took the coffee from his hand and gently pressed my palm over his middle. I knew it wouldn’t help, but I couldn’t do nothing.

“I’ll get some ice.” Rimmel fussed and rushed into the kitchen.

Why didn’t I think of ice?

Seconds later, she came back with a bag of frozen peas (no one ever ate them, so they made for good ice packs) and an actual bag of ice wrapped in a towel. “Here,” she said, leaning over Trent to place the peas against his side.

It wasn’t lost on me that the second Rim leaned close enough to touch him, Braeden sat up quickly, ready to act.

I knew he was thinking of last night when Ivy tried to clean Trent up and I’d snapped at her for getting close. I still felt like shit about it, but it was a natural reaction. He was suffering, and I felt like a lion standing guard.

I caught B’s eye and shook my head slightly. “I’m cooled off.”

Braeden nodded and sat back, but his eyes remained sharp on his sister, like he wouldn’t leave anything to chance.

“Is that okay?” Rim asked him, holding the ice against his side. If she noticed the undercurrents between me and her brother, she didn’t acknowledge them. Instead, she was focused just on Trent. “Lower?”

Rimmel had an extremely caring and tender nature. It made her job running an animal shelter perfect for her.

Trent covered her hand with his and smiled. “Right here is good.”

Rimmel smiled and pulled her hand from beneath his and gently put the second pack of ice against his eye. “Hold this there.”

I took the coffee from him so he could do as she said. I would have laughed at him sitting there with ice all over and both hands holding it in different places. But his injuries weren’t funny.

Trent seemed like he didn’t want to put the ice on his face. I knew it probably made him feel like a wimp, but he didn’t argue. No one in this house argued with Rim.

Romeo would kick their ass.

Besides that, it was hard to defy such an innocent face who truly just wanted to help.

“Just hold it on there for fifteen to twenty minutes.” Rimmel drew back and stared down at him. “Sitting upright and icing it like this will draw out a lot more of the swelling. You’ll be more comfortable.”

“Thanks, sis.” Trent nodded.

Everyone in the room reacted. Not really a physical reaction. Not even the kind of reaction most people would notice. But we were family;
we
noticed. We heard.

He called her sis. A three-letter word. No big deal.

Way big deal.

It was the first time—ever—Trent actually acknowledged the way he felt about our family out loud.

Yes, he called everyone in this house his family. Yes, he attended all the family meetings, and yes, he was one of us.

But…

He was the quiet one. The one who sometimes silently set himself apart.

A light bulb went on inside me. Around the mug, my fingers tightened.

He’d always done that because of me. The closer our family got, the more determined he’d been to draw a line, keeping himself just out of reach.

In case he had to walk away.

He confessed he fought his feelings for me a long, long time. He confessed he never thought I’d feel the same. All this time, the distance he allowed between us all… it was so he would hurt less when he had to walk away.

I rubbed a hand over my jaw, flabbergasted.

Last night had been hell.

Pure hell on Earth.

Now that the sun was up and we’d battled out the worst of it, I could look back on it with a little clarity.

Stars can’t shine without darkness.

He never would have been able to fully accept his place in this family if I we hadn’t gone through that fight—if I hadn’t fought for our relationship.

He was totally mine now.

He was all in.

Acknowledging Rimmel as his sister was proof.

Everyone was quiet, sort of still (except for the baby; she was drooling all over her toys). Rimmel sniffled and pushed at the wild mane of dark, tangled hair around her face.

Trent looked up at her, almost timid.

“You called me sis,” she whispered.

I read the self-consciousness in his body language. I practically heard him debating in his head. Obviously, he’d said it naturally, but once it came out, he realized all the shit I’d just sat here and understood.

“Is that okay?” he asked.

Rimmel made a choked sound and practically threw herself at him.

A few things happened at once.

Trent dropped the ice.

Rimmel flung her arms around his neck, and he hugged her close.

Romeo and Braeden both got up, both of them watching me. Romeo hadn’t even been here yesterday to witness my caveman behavior. He didn’t have to. All he needed to see was Braeden’s reaction.

I waved them back and rolled my eyes. I wasn’t about to interrupt their moment. This was way too important.

“Rim, baby, you’re going to crush his ribs.” Romeo reminded her gently after a few minutes.

She made a squeaking sound and yanked back, grabbing up the ice and holding it out to him. “Sorry.”

Trent smiled. “Didn’t hurt at all.”

Rim went back to her seat beside Romeo and Murphy, and Trent went back to icing his face.

“We need names, Trent,” Romeo said, getting right down to business.

Trent rattled off four names.

My fists clenched. I knew every single one of those fuckers. And now I hated them all. Judging by the looks on Romeo’s and Braeden’s faces, they knew them as well and felt the same way I did.

“First things first.” I spoke up. “Trent will get all his shit out of that house and move in here. Once he’s out, we can deal with Omega.”

Romeo and B nodded.

Trent cleared his throat. “There’s only one problem.”

All eyes turned to him.

“I’m not moving out of Omega.”

I must have just hallucinated. I could have sworn I heard him say he was going to keep living in that house. I laughed, because really, this had to be a joke.

Trent didn’t laugh with me.

Realization dawned.

I wasn’t hallucinating. He wasn’t joking.

Trent was serious.

Trent

What the fuck?

Did this family think I was some quivering little boy? Did they really think I’d run into this house and hide behind them for protection?

No.

Hells no.

Yeah, yeah, I was broken down. I was bruised, cracked, and physically weakened. I looked like shit (not just their words… I looked in the mirror this morning), and my brothers weren’t the type to just let this go.

But…

I might be down. I might even be vulnerable.

Even so, I was stronger than ever.

It’s amazing what looking into the eyes of your worst fears would do for a man. Hell, those guys at Omega last night did me a favor.

They showed me their opinion didn’t matter. That nothing anyone could say or do would matter. Drew and I were stronger than that. Than them.

Was I still hella concerned about what being gay would cost Drew? More now than ever.

I learned something last night, though, in the midst of the eight ball, the fighting, and the breaking up.

Even during the sex.

Oh my God, the sex…

Pull it together, Trent.

Drew and I were stronger together. I was stronger with him than I would ever be apart. He gave me strength. I gained courage from his love. I knew without a shadow of a doubt, this wouldn’t be easy. A relationship with my best friend would be scrutinized, ridiculed, and, at times, make me feel like I’d done the wrong thing.

There was another side to that, though.

I would know unbridled happiness, unending affection, and a level of connection which I’d never have with anyone else.

Wasn’t that something worth fighting for? Wasn’t that worth enduring the shitty times?

Hells yeah.

This was a time I would need to fight.

Fighting didn’t mean hiding.

“I’m still the president at Omega. Giving that up is what they want. I won’t do it,” I said, leaving no room for argument in my tone.

“Why would you want to be the president of a frat who would do this to you?” Drew spat.

He was getting agitated; it was to be expected. This was going to be hard on him. I was going to have to do what I could to shield him as best I could.

“It’s not the entire frat,” I rebutted. “It was four guys. If I turned tail and ran right now, everything I worked for over there for past few years would be for nothing. I will not just hand that house over to a bunch of Zach wannabes and walk away.”

(Zach, aka the guy I replaced and the worst president in Alpha U frat history.)

“I agree,” Romeo said.

I knew he would. He knew what that frat was like, and he knew walking away wasn’t the kind of man I would want to be. If Drew wasn’t so close to the situation, he’d see it, too.

Drew made a rude, angry sound.

I dropped the ice on my ribs and put a hand on his leg, giving his strong thigh a light squeeze.

“If I move out and abandon my presidency, it would be like admitting they were right. Like saying being gay is a reason to hide. Con’s pissed because I took away his chance at presidency. He’s challenging everything about me. My loyalty. My leadership.”
My heart.

“What are you gonna do, T?” Drew argued. “You gonna fight everyone who has a problem with you being gay?”

If I have to.

“It’s not just about him having some man love,” Braeden spoke up.

I swear, man love was like his new favorite saying.

“I know that,” Drew said wearily.

“They think you’re off licking your wounds” Romeo was thoughtful. “They expect you to show up and hand over the house. Con’s probably working right now to discredit you even more because you aren’t there.”

I made a scoffing sound. “He’s probably combing through the frat bylaws, looking for some kind of loophole he can use to get back into the game for presidency.”

“What a douche.” Braeden grunted.

“Why don’t you just kick him and the other three out of the frat?” Ivy wondered out loud.

“It doesn’t work that way,” I answered. “Removing a member’s charter is a lot harder than it sounds. Once they’re in, it’s really hard to boot them out altogether.”

“Look how much it took to get Zach out,” Romeo added.

Ivy’s face darkened a little, and I regretted even bringing him up. Surely, hearing just the Omega name was enough to bring back horrible memories for her. And for Braeden.

I glanced at him, but he was watching Ivy, making sure he didn’t need to step in and haul her out of the conversation.

Prada came prancing into the room and licked the baby’s face. Nova laughed and grabbed the Chihuahua’s ear and tugged.

“Easy,” Ivy reminded her, but Prada didn’t seem bothered. Instead, she lay down right beside Nova, who laughed her little baby laugh. Just like that, Ivy’s face cleared and all the shadows of the past were gone.

“I could go to the dean. Show him my face… Tell him what’s been going on.” I went on, avoiding mention of Zach from now on. “It would be enough to at least put them on probation, maybe have them removed. Assault is illegal…”

“But?” Drew asked, sensing I didn’t want to do that.

“But that’s weak. That’s a coward’s way out. Omega handles their own. We have our own set of laws and justice set in place. Plus, this kind of thing would get press. So much on campus, it would probably make the local news. Omega doesn’t need that kind of black mark, not after everything else. I didn’t clean up that place just so I could trash it all.”

And Drew didn’t need to be dragged into it by pissed-off guys who got caught being bigots.

“You aren’t trashing it, though. They are,” Rimmel put in.

“It’s about loyalty,” Romeo explained to her. “Respect and taking care of your own.”

“Why do men have to make everything so hard?” Rimmel wondered.

“‘Cause they have big, dumb egos,” Ivy added.

The girls laughed.

“So you’re going to go back there, rat them out, and let the house turn on them,” Drew surmised.

“Make their lives a living hell.” Braeden nodded, approval lacing his words.

“Eventually,” I replied, glancing at Romeo.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, and I knew he understood what I wanted to do. Hell, he’d probably do the same thing. It made me more determined.

“Trent,” Drew growled.

I patted his thigh, and he growled again. Guess he didn’t like feeling like I was appeasing him. I pulled my hand back and reached for the coffee.

He made it just the way I liked it, even though it was for us to share. Made it taste even better. The mug was practically empty, only enough to cover the bottom.

“Drink it,” he said when he noticed me debating. “I’ll make more.”

I finished it off and set the empty cup in my lap. “I think sometimes the best punishment is making someone sweat. Letting them wonder when and how it’s coming…”

“Devious,” Braeden drawled, thoroughly entertained.

Drew stood and paced over near the fireplace. “So you want to go back home, act like nothing even happened, and let them get away with it?”

“I’m not going back home,” I told him. “
This
is home.”

He stopped pacing, and our eyes connected. There was a bit of relief deep in the blue of his irises. Just me reminding him he was my home made this easier to swallow.

“They won’t get away with it,” Romeo said. “But yeah. Go back. Have a meeting. You’re gonna have to dispel everything he’s probably saying right now.”

“Won’t be hard.” I nodded. “My bruises will have some shock value. Everyone will be all riled up that I was jumped on Omega property. They’ll want to start a witch hunt for the guys I
didn’t see
.”

“And then the guys who are being hunted will be looking over their shoulder and waiting for you to rat them out,” Rimmel surmised.

“Exactly.” I smiled. “Con and the rest won’t be able to say one word against me because I’ll be the injured one. I’ll be the one who was wronged.”

“And he did it to himself.” Braeden laughed. “Fucker thought he would be getting his way. Instead, all those guys are getting is a free pass into hell.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the three who helped Con don’t turn on him. Try to shove all the blame off on him,” Romeo said.

“All four of them are getting what’s coming,” Drew growled. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“You can’t go in there swinging,” I told him. God, that scared me. I knew he was pissed, but they didn’t fight fair. I was proof of that.

If Drew got hurt trying to avenge me…

I’d go ballistic.

I’d take the entire house down so hard there would be nothing left to rebuild.

Which is exactly why my plan was best. Did I want to go back there? No. Would I? Yes. Biding my time while those assholes squirmed and listening to the plotting of revenge from the others in the house against the ones who beat their president—that would give Drew time.

It would give him time to cool down; it would give me a chance to keep him away.

“They called me,” Drew intoned, his voice low. “They fucking called me to come and get you. They wanted me to see you lying there. I picked you up off the ground. I saw the blood…” His fists clenched. “And you want me to let that go?”

His eyes were glacial when they snapped to mine. “Would you?”

He looked at Romeo and then Braeden. “Would you?”

I blew out a breath. Well, when he put it that way…

“Dude’s got a point,” B allowed.

“You can’t just go beat up everybody,” Ivy declared, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. “That doesn’t solve anything.”

“Romeo and Braeden can’t get caught doing that.” Rimmel worried, twisting her hands in her laps. “The press would be all over it. You too, Drew. You can’t get in trouble.”

“We aren’t going to get caught, baby.” Romeo assured her.

The girls gave each other a doubtful look, and I watched the worry and fear roll over their faces. I glanced down at Nova, who was still playing with an array of toys scattered around, and then I glanced at Drew, still looking murderous.

My heart clenched.

So much turmoil.

“Fine.” Drew relented suddenly. Everyone looked at him. “I won’t do anything irrational.”

I stared at him. It was like he knew I was starting to spiral deep into that place inside me, the place that didn’t want anyone to hurt because of me.

“We’ll do this your way, frat boy.”

I’m not sure I liked being appeased either. But it was better than the alternative.

“You know,” Romeo drawled, “there might be a way we can do it both ways. Let them squirm and add a little hurt.”

“Let’s hear it, Rome.” Braeden sat forward.

I patted the cushion beside me and motioned for Drew. He didn’t hesitate coming to my side and sitting close.

I thought about linking our fingers together. I wanted to touch him, to reassure him… and maybe me, too. I didn’t, though. I hesitated. I knew he was still getting used to the idea of us being “out” in front of our family.

I wasn’t going to push.

I didn’t have to.

Seconds later, he reached for me. His warm, thick fingers tangled with mine, and he pulled my hand into his lap.

Damn.

Such a little thing to make such a huge impact on my heart. My stomach quivered with nerves and excitement I tried not to show.

Be casual.
I reminded myself.
Don’t make it a thing.

I did, however, glance at Drew at the same time he glanced at me. We smiled at each other.

My stomach trembled again.

No one else reacted to the fact we were sitting there holding hands. In fact, they didn’t
not
react either. You know… when someone looks, then looks away quickly like they don’t want to make it a thing, but it really is a thing?